Ilisha megaloptera (Swainson, 1838)
Bigeye ilisha
Ilisha megaloptera
photo by Devarapalli, P.

Family:  Pristigasteridae (Pristigasterids)
Max. size:  36.5 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m, anadromous
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: Indian Ocean (Bombay to Bay of Bengal and Andaman coast of Thailand), Java Sea (off Java, Singapore). Sarawak, `Cochinchina' and Macao specimens (Ref. 6393) should be rechecked.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 38-53. Body rather deep, belly with 19 to 23 + 8 to 12, total 28 to 35 (usually 30 to 34) scutes. Eye large, lower jaw strongly projecting. Dorsal fin origin near midpoint of body; anal fin origin below hind part of dorsal fin base. Swim bladder with a single long tube passing back down right side of body above anal fin base. No toothed hypo-maxilla.
Biology:  An inshore species, but apparently occurs also in rivers (Ganges at Allahabad and rivers of eastern Uttar Pradesh, but not in Velar estuary). Ascends into the upper end of the tidal zone (Ref. 12693). Feeds on fishes, crustaceans, amphipods, occasionally polychaetes, tunicates and small amounts of algae and diatoms.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 28 February 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.